1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention pertains to augers for use in planting and methods for using them.
2. Description of the Technology
Augers for boring large holes in the ground have existed for quite some time. Traditionally they constructed in accordance with a standard helical screw type construction having a central shaft and an inclined plane wrapped around the central shaft in a spiral staircase fashion. While these "spiral staircase" types of augers have proven successful for boring holes for telephone poles, post holes and foundation piers, they are not satisfactory for boring holes for bulbs, seedlings and perennial starts.
Typically the drive motors for the "spiral staircase" types of augers are gas powered with slow rotation and high torque and connected with clutches to the auger. For large telephone pole type augers the drive motors are rendered stationary and for the two-person augers used for post holes, the two operators provide the stability. Because of the strong driving force and stability, the rotation of the auger can successfully elevate the new dirt that is captured by the auger blades up and out of the hole. However, because of the helical screw type blade, the tendency of these types of augers is to merely screw themselves into the ground, just as a screw is driven into wood or metal without creating a hole. The holes are actually created by preventing the auger from being pulled into the ground by restraining the vertical speed at which the auger penetrates the ground. To accomplish this, the user must have sufficient countering force to prevent penetrating the ground at the same rate as the rotation and pitch of the screw would normally require. For large telephone pole augers, this is no problem since they are mounted to large stationary drives which also restrict the penetration rate. When using a one or two person post hole digger, the users must provide the countervailing force, which as anyone who has used those devices knows, is the majority of the work that is required.
With known spiral staircase augers for use with electric drills for planting bulbs, the user will usually have to slow the speed of the auger down dramatically, which can result in difficulty in penetrating hard soil, or exert a great deal of energy preventing the auger from screwing itself into the ground. Thus, the known spiral staircase augers are not optimal for long periods of use and are not efficient either in speed or energy usage.
Further, since the earth is elevated along the helical blade, effort is required to lift the fully loaded spiral staircase auger out of the hole or the auger and drive motor must be held stationary for a period of time to allow the helical blade to clear itself of loosened earth. In sandy soil, typically the auger will not successfully clear the hole because the sandy soil will slide back down the helical blade and refill the hole. Finally, the traditional spiral staircase auger has a limitation on the size of the rocks that can be elevated, namely the vertical distance between the turns of the helix.
When planting bulbs, seedlings, perennial starts and other new plants in fields and yards, it is not practical or desirable to carry along a heavy powerful gasoline powered drive motor. If the area in which the plants are to be planted is not close to a continuous electrical power source, the only practical power source is battery powered devices which typically have lower power and torque than conventional gasoline powered drives or wired electrical devices.
Thus, a method and auger for planting bulbs, seedlings, perennial starts and other plants that works well with low power and low torque drive motors in remote areas and that can create holes quickly with little effort by the user is needed and desired